Abstract

The level of teachers’ assessment literacy is becoming a hot issue with the huge tide of fundamentally educational curriculum reform. Around the topic, this paper aims to probe into the present state of secondary EFL teachers’ assessment literacy level. In this paper, the secondary EFL teachers as the subjects of the research, and the present situation of secondary school EFL teachers is the purpose of the survey. The information of the survey is mainly gathered from the questionnaire designed for EFL teachers in secondary schools in some parts of yueyang in Hunan Province. Through the analysis of the present situation and the reasons for the formation, teacher’s assessment attitude is more positive and still teachers need to improve assessment knowledge and skills. Teachers are required to do self-study and self-growth. Under the guidance of the autonomous learning theory and the analysis of the current situation of the assessment literacy, the author makes some recommendation for the secondary EFL teachers: to establish self-learning assessment attitude; to choose the appropriate assessment strategy; to do more assessment practice autonomously; to make constant reflection on autonomous developments.

Key Words: Autonomous learning theory   secondary EFL teachers   assessment literacy

Introduction

The paper consists of four parts. The introduction of the whole thesis briefly introduces the background and significance as well as the structure of the study. Part 1 includes the development and the understanding of the assessment literacy. Part 2 is the theory foundation which provides the definition of the autonomous learning theory and the relationship between the autonomous learning theory and the improvement of assessment literacy. Part 3 illustrates the details in research design including the research purpose, the research subjects, the research instrument as well as the data collection. Part 4 is the central section of this thesis, which includes the data analysis, the reason for the present situations and recommendation in which the author makes a summary of the study, and gives some suggestions for the developments of assessments literacy of the EFL teachers in middle schools.

 The Autonomous Learning Theory and the Improvement of Assessment Literacy.

In the past 50years, autonomous learning has become an important subject in the field of educational psychology. Autonomy is the ability of the self-management learning. Autonomy requires learners to be responsible for their own learning in any environment, while the learner plays a decisive role in promoting learner autonomy.

English teachers, according to the needs of internal learning, combined with individual teaching and research and practical situation, through self-planning, self-selection, self-evaluation and reflection, implement self-development and self-promotion for the purpose of learning activities. In recent years, China's English teaching generally emphasizes student-centered and cultivate the ability to learn English independently, but does not pay enough attention to teachers' own problems. Teachers' autonomous learning is an autonomous professional development ability, autonomous teachers should clearly know when, where and how to teach the practice of conscious learning ability and research ability. As a teacher to cultivate the future talents of the society, the traditional teaching method of knowledge accumulation has been difficult to adapt to the development of the times. Only through their autonomous studies, they could vigorously promote the cultivation of students' autonomous learning ability, timely and effective grasp of new knowledge and skills.

1. Results and Recommendation

This part gives a description of the general analysis of the results generated from the questionnaires. The author also makes some recommendation for the secondary EFL teachers to improve and enhance their capability of assessment under the guidance of the autonomous learning theory.

1.1 Data Analysis

Through the relevant data obtained from the teacher questionnaire, the analysis of secondary school EFL teacher assessment literacy mainly from the following three aspects: teacher’s assessment attitude, assessment knowledge and assessment skills.

1.1.1 Teachers’ Assessment Attitude  

Teacher’s assessment attitude can guide the development and improvement of the literacy knowledge, between the two as coins. The positive and negative is a unified whole, which cannot be divided. Therefore, the assessment attitude in the development of the assessment literacy is an irreplaceable role. Assessment attitude, knowledge, ability are indispensable and must be developed commonly.

The research data suggested: firstly, 91.61% of the EFL middle school teachers keep a positive attitude towards the assessment literacy; 94.41% of them are aware that their own assessment literacy lack of knowledge and 97.2% of them are willing to participate in the literacy assessment of the training to improve their assessment literacy. Secondly, the teacher who has positive attitude towards the assessment factors can also be aware of the advantages of assessment, and believe that reasonable and correct assessment can promote students' learning and comprehensive development

Figure 1-1 Assessment Attitude

1.1.2 Teachers’ Assessment Knowledge 

The assessment of knowledge is an important factor in secondary school EFL teachers' indispensable assessment. First of all, EFL teachers must figure out what constitutes a framework for assessment. It’s much important to gain deep understanding before talking about how to use. EFL teachers should understand the different methods of assessment of the pros and cons.

The research suggested: firstly, 71.33% of the pre-service EFL teachers did not complete the course of educational literacy or measurement; after work, 73.43% EFL teachers did not participate in the assessment training which reflects the lack of rich experience in teacher literacy training, both before and after the post in the literacy of the education and training are not enough. Secondly，in the evaluation of the purpose of the assessment criteria, the main assessment literacy of the issue, the majority of teachers can understand the assessment of the idea. However, the EFL teacher has only a superficial understanding of the concept of literacy, and does not form a complete system of disciplinary characteristics of the knowledge system. 84% of teachers are usually more concerned about student grammar, vocabulary part of the evaluation, and very few teachers concerned

1.1.3 Teacher’s Assessment Skills 

The assessment skills are mainly analyzed from the selection of the assessment subject, the grasp of the assessment content, the change of the assessment method and the selection of the assessment method. 

The research suggested: firstly, the main body of the assessment has shown a diversified trend, parents and students are also involved in the assessment process. In the three assessment subjects including parents, students and teachers, teachers still occupy the dominant position in assessment, and only 62% of teachers usually make students self-evaluation or peer evaluation, student participation in the assessment of the dominant position has not been established. So, EFL teacher can improve their literacy assessment by changing the subject of assessment. Then Teachers in the evaluation of student progress, 43.36% of the teachers by test scores, supplemented by comprehensive performance, 55.24% of the teachers regard the overall performance as the main point, supplemented by test scores. It indicates that teachers gradually change the test scores as a measure of student progress or not a major standard, and the comprehensive performance of students as an important indicator of the evaluation of students. we can see, the teacher assessment of the quality yet to be improved. 

2. Improve the assessment strategy autonomously 

Factors that affect the EFL teacher’ assessment literacy is not only personal factors, but also social factors. The use of free time to learn the relevant knowledge, expand multi-channel learning resources, to maintain information updates to enhance their own theoretical literacy. Second, the development of evaluation of literacy, to be aware of their weaknesses, and actively with their peers, experts and scholars to communicate, take the initiative to participate in the education sector and the training of colleges and universities in charge of organization. (Huang Gaochao, 2010) Through training, consciously take the initiative to master the relevant skills evaluation, change the concept of education and teaching. Again, actively participate in evaluation practice. The implementation of evaluation is a specific teaching activity; therefore, participation in the evaluation of practical evaluation is an important way to improve the quality of teachers’ evaluation. English teachers can only achieve the independent development of evaluation literacy in the practice of actively participating in teaching evaluation. Teachers of professional learning can use the following strategies.

1. Assessment study tour. During the study tour, EFL teachers should visit other classrooms and schools to observe the assessment they had implemented, discuss the evaluation methods, share the evaluation resources, and study the changes in the practice of students and the practice of planning and assessment.

2. Assessment planning. EFL teachers should seriously think about why they want to assess, what to assess, what evaluation method, how to ensure the assessment literacy, how to use assessment information and other issues to plan the assessment program and combine the assessment with the teaching plan with the new assessment framework.

3. Assessment research. When EFL teachers want to try some new assessment methods, develop a program to record you the success or success will encounter obstacles, they will use action research. Teachers use the knowledge learned to correct their actions, and share with the companions what they have learned.

4. The professional reading and writing. EFL teachers should read the excellent monographs and articles on classroom reviews, and then review their assessment experiences, and reflect on the assessment experiences of their students, and examine their own assessment beliefs and practices, inspire new ideas, and describe them on the assessment of learning and after learning the application.

5. Assessment audit. After a period of study, teachers should maintain a detailed logbook of daily assessment of learning and practice, including the recording of the assessment methods and tools, recording the quality of the assessment and how to apply the assessment information and so on. At the end of the study, teachers should review their logs, studies and practice to achieve the goal and decide to follow up the assessment of learning and improvement action.

3. Do More Assessment Practice Autonomously

The training of assessment literacy may be able to solve the problem of assessment knowledge, but the assessment literacy is far more than the assessment of knowledge, but also ability. This ability is only by conventional learning or training is impossible to form. In fact, the development of assessment of the most important way is to participate in the assessment practice. Freeman and Johnson argue that the process of teacher learning is the process of acquiring knowledge in complex, interpersonal and practical situations. The base of knowledge must begin with EFL teaching activities and in school and classroom so and also begins with the experience, knowledge and beliefs of teachers as classroom participants. The professional development of teachers requires teachers' cognitive and emotional participation, while teachers need to reflect on and practice to achieve the purpose of improvement and change. So to encourage teachers to take the initiative to participate in the assessment process of the whole process and reflect on the assessment of the practice process, continue to accumulate assessment experience, so as to assess the practice of continuous improvement of the assessment literacy.

4.Make Constant Reflection on Autonomous Development

"A good teacher is not teaching for many years, but rather how many years of his teaching with efforts.” Reflection habits and consciousness is an important symbol of teacher intentions. Occasional reflection is not difficult, the vast majority of teachers can do, but the system of reflection is not necessarily easy for everyone. The process of self-development is continuous, as a reflection of self- development, should be continuous, uninterrupted and systematic which is out of the fragmentary reflection state and will reflect into the whole process of self- development, to promote teachers to become independent development teachers. To timely and real theoretical guidance and objectives of the reflection, no theoretical support must be a reflection of the lack of reflection and unique perspective. ( Zhao Xuejing, 2013) Teachers are independent growth of the vitality of the reproduction is not refreshing, so that they always continue to grow independently.

Conclusion

This study first summarizes the related concepts of EFL teachers’ assessment literacy in secondary school and the autonomous learning theory both at home and abroad. At the basement of the framework of the assessment literacy which includes teachers' assessment attitude, assessment knowledge and assessment skills, the questionnaire of this paper is designed to deduce the status of EFL teachers' assessment and accomplishment in middle schools.

Through the survey and data statistics, it is found that: In terms of attitudes, most teachers hold a positive attitude towards assessment, and are aware of the inadequacy of their own assessment. Most of them are willing to participate in the training of assessment literacy. In the aspects of assessment knowledge and skill, the research proves that it is necessary for teachers to enhance and improve their knowledge and skill. After the analysis, the reasons for the formation of middle school EFL teachers are mainly due to the following factors: firstly, English discipline literacy itself is not complete; then, the guidance of high school entrance exam; last but not least, the teachers’ internal factors affect the level of assessment literacy. The combination of these factors led to the assessment literacy of EFL teachers need to be improved.

Finally, the following suggestions are made for the development of the assessment literacy of EFL teachers in middle schools. EFL teachers need to establish self-learning assessment attitude. Then they need to realize autonomous learning both in assessment knowledge and skills. At last, EFL teachers should to do more assessment practice autonomously and constantly reflect on autonomous developments.

The significance of the study can be presented from these aspects. Firstly, this study is to meet the needs of curriculum reform which pay much attention to the importance of cultivating EFL teachers’ assessment ability. Secondly, there are not many empirical researches on the secondary EFL teachers’ assessment literacy. This study will enrich such research in the field of assessment literacy and the findings of the present studies will serve future studies as reference. Comparing with the formal studies, this research pays more attention on the disciplines of English based on the autonomous learning. And the author makes the questionnaire with the characteristics of English disciplines. By studying on many literatures, the author makes some recommendation on the improvement of assessment literacy for EFL teachers.   

Like other studies, there are nevertheless some limitations in this study. In the first place, the author only chooses 143 EFL teachers to fill in the questionnaires. Therefore, the results of this study may have discrepancy with those of the studies having a larger investigation subjects. In the second place, the EFL secondary teacher's assessment literacy in this research is measured only by the questionnaires, which are likely to be somewhat inaccurate because there is no enough time for observing the classroom assessment activities.

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姓名：方竞

单位：湖南省岳阳市弘毅中学